Global citizenship in Pakistan

This paper attempts to understand the value of the ideology of global citizenship in Pakistan by looking at students' values and attitudes. In particular, it explores students' understanding of the term 'global citizen' and their attitude towards the concept. Using a case study approach, interviews were conducted with six students in a privately run school under the national education system, in addition to five teachers who have undergone a global citizenship training. This research highlights students' strong national identity, which engenders a sense of urgency with regard to displaying a positive side of the country, with global citizenship being seen as one avenue for creating a positive image. In addition, the absence of a clear understanding of 'citizenship' itself means a very loose understanding of what global citizenship could or should entail. These findings communicate the need to rethink global citizenship in the Pakistani context through a redefinition of the concepts from a local perspective.